Textile twisting machine



s 45- G. E. NORDSTROM EXTILE TWISTING MACHINE Filed June 2, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l @GMM Dcil; lg45- G1. E. NoRbsTRoM 390,729`

l TEXTILE TWISTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJune 2, 1944 Patented Dec. 11, 1945 TEXTILE TWISTIN G MACHINE Gustaf Eugen Nordstrom, Gardner, Mass., as-

signor to American Fibre Corporation,'Gard ner, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 2, 1944, Serial No. 538,351

12 Claims.

This invention pertains to textile twisting machines and is herein illustrated by way of specific example, but without limitation, as embodied in a machine for making paper twine, and relates more especially to improved means for supporting the spool or other package core in such a way as to facilitate doing the filled spool or core and the donning of an empty spool or core.

In a twisting machine of the Brownell type, which in basic principle, at least, is illustrated in the patent to Brownell, No. 581,672, April 27,

'1897, a suitable frame supports a series of like twisting units, each comprising a non-rotating spindle on which is mounted a tubular winding core, for example the barrel of a spool, the lower heads of all of the spools at one side of the machine resting upon a vertically reciprocating traverse rail which causes all the spools at one side of the machine simultaneously to rise and fall, thereby to distribute the twisted material along the spool barrel. Usually the rail is provided with friction material which is operative to resist rotation of the spool to a desired degree. Each winding unit also includes a die, coaxial with the spindle, through which the paper ribbon passes and by means of which it is condensed; a twisting head which receives the condensed strip yof paper and which comprises stretching drums about which the strip passes and is tensioned, and a rotary flyer having a delivery eye which revolves about the spindle axis. In the modern machines each unit is driven by its own individual electric motor. Heretofore, the operation of dolng and donning the package has involved considerable difficulty and loss of production.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide improved means for supporting the winding package so that when the package is full it may readily be doffed without stopping the machine as a whole or in any way interfering with the operation of adjacent spindles. A further object is to provide package supporting means so devised that the heavy iilled spool or core may be doffed safely and without danger of accidentally dropping it, regardless of the position of the spool-supporting rail. A further object is to provide dofling means which may be actuated by the foot of the operator so as to leave both his hands free for manipulating the winding strand and for removing the lled spool and donning an empty spool or core. A further object is to provide spool-supporting means which is positively locked in operative position except when purposely released by the operator. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description, and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation illustrating one unit of the twisting and winding mechanism of a machine of the class described;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in vertical section, of one of the winding units of the mechanism showing the spool in operative position, the spool-traversing rail being at at the lowermost limit of its traverse;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the position of the parts in readiness for dofng or donning the package;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section, to larger scale, illustrating details of the spindle supportthe parts being in the position of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the parts in the position of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section, generally similar to Fig. 5, showing a modied construction of spindle support; and

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing a modified form of spindle and means for positioning the upper end of the spindle.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates generally and more or less diagrammatically a single winding unit or head of a multiple unit twisting machine having a frame comprising uprights 2 and stationary, horizontal connecting rails 3 and 4. Each unit also comprises a die 5 which receives the ribbon 6 of material,`

for instance paper which is to be twisted, and which folds and compacts this ribbon on its Way to the twisting mechanism. The twisting mechanism is, in general, of conventional type such v as that disclosed, for example, in the Brownell patent-, above referred to, including a train of gears I supported by a bracket 8 mounted on the frame, one of the upper gears being keyed to a vertical shaft 9, turning in xed bearings. As in modern machines of this type, the train of gears of each unit receives its motion from an individual drive motor, not shown. The winding unit also comprises the hub I0 (keyed to one of the lower gears of the train) which turns in a fixed bearing 8a carried by bracket 8, the hub I0 carrying the gear housing Il whichprotects a set of gears (as in the Brownell patent above referred to) which operate the stretching drums I3. A rotary iiyer head I4 is keyed to shaft 9 which turns freely within the gear housingk Il. This flyer head I4 has one or more hollow strand delivery arms I5 which revolve about a normally stationary, package-supporting spindle I1. The

flyer head I4 is furnished with a socket whichv lower part of the spindle II and ywithin whichthe spindle may slide axially to an extent suincient to disengage its upper end vlli from the socket in the head I4'. A coiled spring 22 (Fig. 5) seated in the lower end of the bearing bore in the support I8 normally supports the spindle I'I in operative position, and opposes its downwardV movement. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the lower end of the spindle I'I is bifurcated to provide spaced arms 23 which areconnected at their lower ends by a transverse pin 24 constituting a spindle-actuatingabutment, and which, as here shown, is provided with'an anti-friction roll 25. Atthe location of thisabutment pin 24, the supportv IB-is provided with a transverse slot 26 for the accommodation Vof one arm 2'lof a lever pivoted on a-pin 28 xed in the swinging support I8, thearm 27 overlying the anti-friction roll 25 of the abutment .24. The forward face of the support I 8.is preferably slotted, as shown at IBX (Fig. 2) so as to accommodate .the lever just referred to, the opposite ends of the pin 28 being fixed inthe substanceof the support I8 at opposite sides of this slot. The aforesaidlever also has the forwardly directed arm 29 which extends outwardly beyond the slot I8 in the support, and whose under surface 30 is of arcuate curvature constituting acam.

A `bracket SI is rigidly secured to the bottom rail 4 of the frame, projecting forwardly from the.. latter and having spaced, parallel, vertical arms.,32 and 33 (Fig. 1) @providing guideways for a vertically movable slide. .34. (Figs- 5 and 6). Atits'rearside this slide 4is provided with .a latch element 35 which,V in thenormally operativeposition of .the parts, ias'. shown in Fig, 5, engages substantially flat andvertical surfaces S6 of the support I8, .thus normally retainingthe support positively. in its-.operative position with the spindle .I1 vertically disposed. .The slide 34 is provided-with a forwardly directed pin 3l which is received inan elongate slitY in Yone arm 38 0f a treadlelever (Fig. l) mounted to .swingin a vertical plane about a pivot pin 39 projecting forwardly from a lateral ear 4U carried by the guide member. 32. The opposite arm of this lever is shaped to provide a, treadle 4I which may be engaged` by the foot of the operator, thereby to-swing the lever and thus to raise the pin 3'! and Amove-the slide 34 and the latch 35 upwardly. When the latch .is thuseleVated, as shown in Fig. 6, it disengages the surfaces 35 of the support I3, so as to permit the support to be swung forwardly to the position shown in Figure'f.Y In thisv position VYthe spindle II is inclined forwardly so that,.as shown in Fig. 4, it is-out of the field of revolution of the arms of the flyer. y In this position the winding core or spool -may readily be doifed or donned.

- The slide 34 is also provided with a pair of parallel-downwardly directed Varms Al2 (Fig. l), whose 'lower' ends are connected by a transverse pin 43 on which is mounted a cam-follower roll 44 which engages the cam surface Sli of the lever arm 28. This cam surface is so contoured that when the slide 34 is raised from the normal position of Fig. 5 to the dofiing position of Fig. 6, the engagement of the roll 44 with this carn surface swings the lever arm 29 about its pivot pin 43, thereby also swinging the arm 2l downwardly and forcing the'spindle ll Adownwardly in opposition to the spring 22 to an extent Sunicient to disengage the upper end of the spindie from the socket I5. When the spindle has thus been disengaged from the socket, the support i8 may be freely swung forwardly by the operator so as to place the parts in the dofling and donf ning position of Fig. 4. Y

As is customary in machines oi this type, there is provided a vertically reciprocating traverse rail 45 having a friction element, for example a pad 4S of leather or the like, upon which the lower head 4l of thev spool 43 rests during the winding operation, this friction pad retarding the rotation ofthe Vspool so as in cooperation with the rotation of the Yflyer-ato wind the strand of material Von the barrel of the spool. VWhile a spool lhaving two'heads is customarilyl ernployed, the invention-is not in'any way limited to the-typeof package core employed, and instead of a spool having two heads, Ya spool having a single head maybe used, or, in fact, any othericustomary typeof tubular package core.

Since the wound package may be of large dimensions and very-heavy, it is` desirable to prevent this package frc-m dropping any substantial distance when the Asupport I8 is swung to -t'ne doing position. If, for example, the traverse rail 45 were near the upper limit of its travel when the support I8 was swung forwardlv'the spool might drop a substantial distance unless caught by theoperator, and thus might cause damage-either to the spool head or -to the mech# anism for controlling the spindle support.V To avoid this possibility, it is preferred to provide the traverse rail with V-a bracket 49 corresponding to eachnwindingunitL-each bracket having a forwardly directed arm/50 disposed in -a plane slightly below that of the friction pad 45 vsofas not to contact Vthe winding spool during normal operations, but so as to underlie the spool when the spindle support isfmov'ed forwardly', and to limit vdownward movement-of the Vspool relatively to the spindle w-henrthe support isl swung forwardly, regardless of the-position of the trav'- erse rail 45.-

With the arrangement just above described,y all that is'necessary for theoperator to do, when the package is to bevdoied, is to place his foot on the treadle 4l, whereupon the latch 35 is retracted, the spindle is moved down to dis'l engage its upper end from its socket, and the' support I8 is swung forwardly so as to place the package inthe doihng position. The operator thenremoves the package from the spindle; placesva fresh Ywinding core on the spindle, and pushes the spindle backto its operative position and Vsecures the end of the strand to the-spool barrel. As'the spindle resumes its normal vertical position, the spring 22 raises it yto insert its upper end I6 inthe socket in head i4, vthus re? leasing lthe latch 35 and permitting it to drop down into its normal position, as shown in Figi 5, whereupon the parts are in readiness for thel resumption of the winding operation. Y

' Since the spool turns relatively .to the, spindle, it may, under some circumstances, be desirable to facilitate the turning of the spindle freely so vas to reduce the friction between it and the spool.

Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 7, the lower end of the spindle I is reduced in diameter, as shown at 53, and disposed within the inner face of an anti-friction ball bearing, the outer race of which is an inverted cup-shaped member 53 arranged to slide in the elongate be-aring bore in the support I8, the cup-shaped member having a screwthreaded retaining ring 54 for holding the bearing in place. The lower part of this cup-shaped member is slotted to provide spaced arms 5'5 between which is arranged the anti-friction abutment roll which is engaged by the lever arm 21 in the same way as a'bove described-spring 22 engaging the lower ends of the arms 55 and thus normally holding the spindle in operative position although permitting it to .be moved downwardly to disengage its upper end from the socket. With this arrangement, the lower end of the spindle turns freely in the ball bearing, and thus the spindle may turn at a rate approximating that of the spool, thus reducing friction.

In Fig. 8 a further modification is illustrated wherein the spindle is reduced in diameter at its upper portion, as shown at 55, this portion of smaller diameter terminating at a shoulder 57 and being embraced by a freely turning sleeve 53 whose upper end bears against a flange 59 forming part of a plug having a pin which is xed in a socket in the upper end of the spindle, the plug comprising a pintle member 60 which engages the inner race of a ball bearing El secured in a socket in the flyer head I4 by means of a retainer ring 62. The lower part of the spindle is mounted in the support I8 in the sameway as illustrated in Fig. 5, for example. Provision is thus made for reduction of friction between the upper end of the sleeve 58 and the flyer head I4,

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have herein been illustrated by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to these precise embodiments but is to be regarded as 'broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A twisting machine of the kind in which the strand material is twisted and wound by a flyer upon a tubular support to form a package, and wherein the tubular support is arranged to turn on a normally fixed spindle and is moved axially of the spindle, thereby to distribute the strand material and wherein the upper end of the spindle is normally held in a socket coaxial with the vflyer, characterized in having a support for the lower end of the spindle, said support being mounted to swing about an axis transverse of the spindle, a latch normally operative positively to prevent swinging of the support, the support having therein a bearing in which the spindle may move axially, spring means opposing downward movement of the spindle, and a single manually actuable element operative concomitantly to withdraw the latch, thereby to permit the support to be swung, and to move the spindle downwardly thereby to disengage its upper end from the socket.

the package core is rotatable and having means providing a socket for the upper end of thespindle and a support for the lower end of the spindle, characterized in that the spindle support has an elongate bearing for the spindle, resilient means opposing downward motion of the spindle in said bearing, and means for moving the spindle downwardly in said bearing, said latter means comprising a pin projecting from the spindle, a lever having an arm overlying the pin, a vertically movable rpart having a pin underlying the opposite end of the lever, and manually actuable means for moving said vertically movable part.

3. A twisting machine of the class described comprising a plurality of independently driven twisting and winding units each designed to twist strand material and to wind the twisted material upon. a hollow core to form a package, and each unit including a rotary flyer and a normally stationary spindle coaxial with the flyer upon which the package core is rotatable and having means providing a socket for the upper end of the spindle and a support for the lower end of the spindle, characterized in that the spindle support is pivoted to swing forwardly about an axis intersecting the axis of the flyer and has an elongate bearing for the lower part of the spindle, spring means opposing downward movement of the spindle in said bearing a lever pivotally mounted upon the support to swing about an axis parallel to that of the support, the spindle having an abutment element with which one arm of the lever engages, the opposite arm of the lever Ibeing shaped to constitute a cam, a vertically movable slide, and an abutment carried by the slide engaging the cam arm of the lever, and means for moving the slide so as to swing said lever and thereby to move the spindle downwardly.

4. A twisting machine of the class described comprising a plurality of independently driven twisting and winding units each designed to twist strand material and to wind the twisted material upon a hollow core to form a package, and each unit including a rotary flyer and a normally stationary spindle coaxial with the flyer upon which the package core is rotatable and having means providing a Y socket for the upper end of the spindle and a support for the lower end of the spindle, characterized in that the spindle support is pivoted to swing forwardly about a transverse axis below the lower end of the spindle, the support having an elongate bearing in which the spindle may move downwardly from normal position sufficiently to disengage its upper end from the socket, spring means opposing such downward movement, locking means normally operative to prevent forward movement of the support, and means including a single actuating 2. A twisting machine of the class described' lever, operative to move the locking me-ans from operative position and to move the spindle downwardly so as to disengage its upper end from the socket thereby to permit the support to swing forwardly.

5. A twisting machine of the class described comprising a plurality of independently driven twisting and winding units each designed to twist strand material and to wind the twisted material upon a hollow core to form a package, and each unit including a rotary flyer and a normally stationary spindle coaxial with the flyer upon which the package core is rotatable and having means providing a socket for the upper end of the spindle and a support for the lower end of the spindle, characterized in that the spindle support is pivoted., to Lswingforwardly about a transverse axis rbelow the lower end. of the spindle, the support having bearing meansl for the spindle vso constructed and arranged that the spindle may move downwardly from normal position su'iciently to disengage its upper end from the socket, spring means opposing such downward movement, a latch normally'operative to prevent forwardfniovement of the support, and means, including a singleractuating lever, operative to retract the latch from operative position and to move the spindle downwardly 'so as to disengage its upper end from the socket.

6. A twisting machine of the class described comprising a plurality of independently driven twisting and winding Aunits each designed to twist Y strand material and to wind the twisted material upon a hollow core Yto form av package, and. each unit including a rotary flyer-'and a normally stati'onary'spindle coaxial with ythe iiyer upon which the package core is rotatable and having means providing a socket for the upper end of the spindle and a support for the lower end of the spindle, characterized in that the spindle support is pivoted to swing forwardly about a transverse .axis below the lower end of the spindle, the support having an elongate bearing in which the' spindle may move downwardly from normal position sufficiently to disengage its upper end from the socket, spring means opposing such downward movement,y a latch normally operative to prevent forward movement of the support, and means, including a single actuating lever, operative to Vmove the spindle downwardly to disengage its upper end from the socket and to release thev latch thereby permitting the support to be swung. forwardly so as to move the end of the spindle out ofthe field oi action of the flyer.

7. A twisting machine of the class described comprising a plurality of .independently driven twisting and winding units each designed to twist strand material and vto wind the twisted material upon. a hollow core to form a package, and each unit including a rotary yer and a normally stationary' spindle coaxial with the yer upon which the package core is rotatable and having means providing a socket for'the upper end of the spindle and a support for the lower end of' the spindle, characterized in that the spindle supporti is pivoted to swing forwardly about a transverse axis below the lower end of the spindle, theA support having an elongate bearing in which the. spindle may move downwardly from normal position sufficiently to disengage its upper end from the socket, spring means opposing such each unitv including a rotary flyer and a normally stationary spindle coaxial with the yer upon which the package core is rotatable and having means providing a socket for the upper end of ythe spindleand a support for the lower end oi the spindle, characterized in that the spindle support is pivoted to swing forwardly about a transverse axis below the lower end of the spindle, ther support having an Velongate bearing in whichk the spindle may move downwardly from normal position sufciently to disengage its upper end from the socket, spring means opposing such downward movement, a latch normally operative to prevent forward movement of the support, and actuating vmeans including a movable latch carrier, a treadle lever provided with 'a foot treadle, and means connecting the tread'le lever .to the latch carrier whereby movement of the treadle lever in one direction moves the latch to inoperative position, and means, connected to the latch carrier so as to be actuated by the latter,y operative to move the spindle downwardly.

9. A twisting machine of the kind in which the strand material is first twisted and then wound by a flyer upon a spool to form a package, and wherein the spool is arranged to turn on anormally fixed spindle and is supported by a Vertically reciprocating Vtraverse rail so as to be moved,

spindle being normally held in a socket coaxial downward movement, a latch normally operative to prevent forward movement of the support, and actuating means including a latch-carrying slide,

a manually operable lever for moving the slide,

a cam follower carried by the slide, a lever pivotally mounted on the support and having an arm which is engaged by the cam follower, a lever having a second arm, and an abutment carried by the spindle which is engaged by said latter arm of the lever',r the parts being so constructed and arranged that operation of the manually actuated lever'moves the slide to retract the latch from operative position and moves the spindle downwardly to'release its upper end from the socket -8. A twisting machine of the class described comprising a Vplurality of independently driven twisting and winding units each designed to twist strand' material Aand to wind the twisted material upon a hollow core to form a package, and

with the flyer and wherein the flyer turns in and wherein the spool is arranged to turn von a l normally fixed spindle and is supported by a vertically reciprocating traverse rail so as 'to be moved axially of the spindle thereby Vto distribute the winding. strand material, the upper end of the spindle being normally held in a socket coaxial with the flyer and wherein the flyer turns in fixed bearings,y characterized in having supporting means for the lower end of the spindle Y so constructed and arranged that the spindle may be moved axially downward to disengage its upper end from the socket, means normally opposing such downward movement of the spindle, and a shelf projecting forwardly from the traverse rail and disposed in a plane below the operative surface of the traverse rail, said shelf being designed to prevent downward movement `of the package regardless of the position of the rail when the support is swung forwardly.` Y

11. A twisting machine of the kind in which the strand material is rst twisted and then wound by a flyer upon a tubular core or spool to form a package, and wherein the core-Vor spool is Varranged to turn on a normally fixed spindle and is moved axially of the spindle by a vertically reciprocating traverse rail thereby to distribute' the winding strand material, and wherein the upper end of the spindle is normally held in a socket coaxial with the flyer, characterized in that the yer turns in xed bearings and in havingy yieldable supporting means for the lower end of the spindle so constructed and arranged that the spindle may be moved downwardly, thereby to disengage its upper end from the socket, the lower end of the spindle being bifurcated to provide spaced legs, a transverse pin extending from one leg to the other, and a spindle-depressing lever having an arm which overlies said pin.

12. A twisting machine of the kind in which the strand material is first twisted and then Wound by a flyer upon a tubular core or spool to form a package, and wherein the core or spool is arranged to turn on a normally fixed spindle and is moved axially of the spindle by a vertically reciprocating traverse rail thereby to disl5 spindle may be moved downwardly, thereby to disengage its upper end from the socket,V the lower end of the spindle having therein an axially exl0 tending slot, a `transverse pin extending across said slot and fixed to the spindle, an anti-friction roll turning freely on said pin, and a spindledepressing lever having an arm which contacts said roll.

GUSTAF EUGEN NORDSTROM. 

